RADNOR, Pa., Sept. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- VWR International, LLC, a global leader in distributing laboratory supplies and services, announced today that it has acquired INTERNATIONAL P.B.I. S.p.A., based in Milan, Italy.

Established in 1956, INTERNATIONAL P.B.I. is a leading supplier for laboratory equipment and products in Italy, with state of the art expertise in the microbiology field. The Company represents several well-known brands, in addition to its own P.B.I. product portfolio, and serves customer segments that include pharmaceutical, chemical, food and beverage, biotechnology, clinical and education.

"INTERNATIONAL P.B.I.'s business and strong technical capabilities are a great complement to VWR's European operations, allowing us to expand our operations in Italy and deliver the best of both companies to our customers," stated Manuel Brocke-Benz, VWR's Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Europe. "INTERNATIONAL P.B.I.'s philosophy of providing the best possible customer service is ideally aligned with VWR's core mission."

Financial details of this acquisition remain confidential.

About VWR International, LLC

VWR International, LLC, headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania, is a global laboratory supply and distribution company with worldwide sales in excess of $3.6 billion in 2010. VWR enables the advancement of the world's most critical research through the distribution of a highly diversified product line to most of the world's top pharmaceutical and biotech companies, as well as industrial, educational and governmental organizations. With over 150 years of industry experience, VWR offers a well-established distribution network that reaches thousands of specialized labs and facilities spanning the globe. VWR has over 7,000 associates around the world working to streamline the way researchers across North America, Europe, and Asia stock and maintain their labs. In addition, VWR further supports its customers by providing onsite services, storeroom management, product procurement, supply chain systems integration and technical services.